Amendment 1: Testing public support for 'Obamacare'

Both supporters and opponents of Amendment 1 say that it could have relatively no impact on Floridians as long as the leadership in Washington remains the same. Even if the state constitution was changed to exempt Floridians from being required to purchase health insurance, federal law would still hold priority, and for now the individual mandate is the law of the land.

Amendment 1 is really about sending a message, said Robert Sanchez, director of policy at the James Madison Institute.

“At a time when turnout is high because this is a
presidential election, for there to be a more representative referendum on the Affordable Care Act," he said. "And if people understand the amendment and bother to go
down to that part of the ballot, then they would see they have a chance to voice
their approval or disapproval of it by voting against Amendment 1.”

Progress Florida executive director Mark Ferrulo thinks the Republican-led Legislature was playing politics when it put Amendment 1 on the ballot.

"We believe it's just largely throwing a bone to the sort of
tea-party wing which was so incensed over Obamacare," he said. "That, we believe, is a big
motivation behind it. They likely saw putting Amendment 1 on the ballot as a
way to help turn out an element of their base voters.”

And some worry that it will give Florida elected officials enough reason to wage a new court battle against the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law earlier this year, ruling against a coalition of states led by Florida.

There are also hypothetical secenarios where Amendment 1 could have impact. For example, if the federal health care law is repealed or altered and the individual mandate goes away, having Amendment 1 on the books would prevent state lawmakers from ever requiring Floridians to purchase health insurance.

That will be determined by what or who else wins on election day. Mitt Romney has pledged to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act if he becomes president. Republicans are also hoping to gain control of the U.S. Senate in hopes of pushing through changes to the health care law.